


slowly at light speed

by ZeGabz



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Rebels
Genre: F/M, Fluff, SO MUCH FLUFF, i'm trash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-22
Updated: 2014-12-22
Packaged: 2018-03-02 21:05:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2826071
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZeGabz/pseuds/ZeGabz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Today, the Ghost is cruising through Hyperspace (and will be for several more hours) and doesn’t need her quick reflexes or sharp vision. Today, Hera doesn’t have to be the pilot. Today, she can sit back and relish in the little family she has managed to scrape together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	slowly at light speed

**Author's Note:**

> I'm typically not a cartoon person. But I have always, always been a Star Wars devotee, and when I saw this show, I tuned in more out of loyalty to the franchise than anything else. But I absolutely love Rebels. It's joyful, well-animated, and the characters are top-notch. 
> 
> And, of course, once I find a ship there's no going back.

Most days, Hera does not have time for sentimentality. Most days, she has to have tunnel vision, vision of her galaxy without the threat of the Empire. After all, she can’t be expected to pilot the Ghost the way she does if her mind is wandering.

But today isn’t most days.

Today, the Ghost is cruising through Hyperspace (and will be for several more hours) and doesn’t need her quick reflexes or sharp vision. Today, Hera doesn’t have to be the pilot. Today, she can sit back and relish in the little family she has managed to scrape together.

Not too many years ago, it was just her on this crazy little crusade. Making a difference was a desperate pipe dream. But now . . .

Now she has a group of lunatics just as hopelessly devoted to changing the galaxy as she is. She has a family.

Hera leans back in her pilot’s chair and closes her eyes, a relaxed smile forming on her face. She doesn’t stir, not even when the familiar gait of her renegade Jedi sounds in the corridor. She hears him enter and settle into the co-pilot’s seat.

“Now there’s something you don’t see often,” he comments. Hera cracks an eye open to see Kanan watching her with amusement. “I can’t remember the last time I saw you relaxing.”

“Hard to find time to relax when I’m saving the galaxy,” she replies.

“Oh, and I suppose I’m just along for the ride?”

Hera arches an eyebrow. “Who calls the shots around here again, Jedi?” Kanan opens his mouth to reply, but can’t seem to formulate any words to retaliate. Hera smirks. “That’s what I thought.” Kanan mumbles something to himself about “putting up with” and “lucky I like her” and she sits up in her chair.

“How’s Ezra’s training?” she asks, “Can he leap canyons in a single bound like his master?” Kanan snorts.

“You overestimate my abilities.”

“And you underestimate yourself.” Kanan’s eyes lock onto hers, and the intensity of his gaze almost compels her to look away.

Almost. She’s gotten used to reminding Kanan of his capacity for good, his strength. He’s used to denying it, pretending it doesn’t exist. But Hera sees the hero inside, desperate to be set free. She tries with every ounce of strength she has, has tried for years, to make him see what she sees. She knows he appreciates the effort, if nothing else. Who would have thought the self esteem of a man who could be an arrogant ass most of the time would be so hard to bring out?

He's leaning in, and she is too. She can't help herself, he's utterly magnetic sometimes (all of the time, actually, but she usually has better self-control than this).

It’s a unique thing, knowing that there is a Jedi who would follow you to every end of the galaxy and back without a moment’s hesitation, a Jedi whose soul is so hopelessly entangled with your own that you don’t know how you ever functioned without him.

Hera does look away and lean back eventually, because the last thing she needs, even on a rare relaxing day like today, is the complications that would arise from kissing Kanan.

_Again._

Well.

Ezra chooses to burst in at that moment, blissfully (or perhaps willfully, Force only knows how attuned to emotions he’s gotten) unaware of the sudden tension in the cockpit. Hera smiles fondly at the former street rat. Sure, she’s gotten a bit attached to the boy. No more than mister “Jedi don’t get attached” Kanan, whose eye roll at his Padawan’s entrance doesn’t mask the affection he obviously feels.

At least, not to Hera.

“How much longer are we gonna be in Hyperspace?” Ezra asks nobody in particular, “I’m hungry.”

“That’s what the protein packs are for,” Kanan deadpans.

“For actual food,” Ezra amends, “I haven’t had a real meal in forever.”

“Fairly certain we had a real meal yesterday,” Hera says.

“Like I said, forever!”

Hera glances over at Kanan, eyebrows raised. _He’s your Padawan._

Kanan shakes his head. _Padawan, not son. You deal with this._

She rolls her eyes. _I already have you to deal with, so you deal with him._

His eyes narrow. _You’ve got this bad habit of always telling me what to do._

She shrugs. _You listen._

“Ezra,” Kanan says, diverting his attention back to his famished apprentice. “How about you and I try working on meditating to take your mind off your hunger?” Ezra brightens visibly, all signs of fatigue gone.

“Okay!” he agrees instantly. “Later, Hera!” he calls as he all but bounds out of the cockpit. Hera chuckles and waves. Kanan moves to follow Ezra, but not before turning back to her.

“You owe me.”

“Sure, dear,” she snickers, closing her eyes yet again and leaning back.

 

She must fall asleep, because her back is stiff when she’s gently shaken awake by Kanan. “How long was I out?” she asks groggily, blinking sleep out of her eyes and standing to stretch.

“About two hours,” Kanan replies, “I was going to let you sleep a bit longer, but I figured you’d want to move.”

“You figured right, love,” Hera says with a smile, “Thanks.” Kanan bows teasingly, and she shoves him.

“You’ve been up here for a while,” he says, “How about a change of scene?”

Apparently, his idea of a change of scene is the short trek to the common room, where he sits her down for a game of chess. Ezra and Sabine soon join them, watching her and Kanan with curiosity.

Kanan knows approximately two chess strategies, all of which she figured out long ago. She knows this and he knows this, but she loves playing with him. Chess keeps him from his other favorite pastime, brooding, so it’s a nice hobby of his she likes to indulge.

“I can never beat him,” Ezra mumbles, “He’s always one step ahead, it feels like.” Hera snorts.

“Well, that’s because he cheats,” she explains, tapping her temple. Ezra’s eyes widen, and Sabine snickers. Kanan shrugs, unashamed.

“You’re the one telling me to embrace my powers.” Zeb lumbers in, curious about the noise, and laughs when he sees them.

“Losing to the boss again?” he asks Kanan.

Hera turns to Ezra. “One day, you’re going to beat him, and I want to be there to watch.” She moves a pawn, looking Kanan straight in the eye as she does so. “Check.”

Kanan doesn’t look nearly as surprised as Ezra and Sabine. Zeb just grins.

“Wait, I thought you said he cheated!” Sabine protests.

“That trick stopped working on me about three years back,” Hera says with an easy smile, “Haven’t lost a game since.”

“Can Hera be my new master?” Ezra asks.

Kanan rolls his eyes. “No, kid, she’s already mine.”


End file.
